A group of students and faculty at the University at Buffalo are among 17 intercollegiate teams chosen worldwide to participate in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon.
WBFO's Jay Moran spoke with Martha Bohm, Assistant Professor in U.B.'s Department of Architecture, about the solar house project.
The 1,100-square-foot solar-powered home is called the "GRoW House" which stands for Garden, Relax, or Work. The solar home features a greenhouse, large kitchen area with a bathroom and central living space with a bedroom. The house is designed to produce twice the energy it consumes.
Since U.B. began pursuing the competition in 2012, the collaborative effort has involved 13 departments, nearly 100 students and dozens of faculty members. Students are also working with several local businesses in the design, building and solar energy fields.
The final structure will be shipped to Irvine, California, in October to compete in the Energy Solar Decathlon. The biennial contest promotes sustainability and energy saving residential designs.
